


you know that you should be my boy

by dreamiesficfest, pouthyucks



Series: Dear Dream - Dreamies Fic Fest (First Wave) [13]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Australia, Alternate Universe - High School, Attempt at Humor, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is Whipped, M/M, School Dances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-30 20:51:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18321989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamiesficfest/pseuds/dreamiesficfest, https://archiveofourown.org/users/pouthyucks/pseuds/pouthyucks
Summary: prompt: #DD019Donghyuck discovers that Renjun is evil, his friends are all hopeless, and, when it comes to his neighbour Mark Lee, Donghyuck may just be even more hopeless than all of them.; Title from SUMMER by BROCKHAMPTON





	you know that you should be my boy

**Author's Note:**

> notes from the author: hehe i just HAD to make this an aussie fic okay dsjjdsj i love the idea of hyuck saying "youse" lmao  
> songs to listen to while reading this fic:  
> \- summer by brockhampton  
> \- i wanna dance with somebody (who loves me) by whitney houston  
> \- 4ever by clairo  
> \- crush culture by conan gray  
> \- everything is shit except my friendship with you by ball park music  
> \- skool by san cisco  
> \- groove is in the heart by deee-lite  
> \- sunflower by rex orange county

Renjun Huang is a great friend, he’s always been there for Donghyuck over the years. A shoulder to cry on, an expert advice-giver, the responsible president of the Student Representative Council, and, most of all, someone who knows how to listen.

Renjun Huang is also an evil little gremlin who, in this moment, Donghyuck despises more than anyone.

He stares at Donghyuck with an innocent smile and twinkling in his eyes, a look that Donghyuck has learned to see through over the ten years of their friendship. Jaemin sits on Renjun’s bed, muffling his laughter with his hand and flashing Donghyuck a shit-eating grin.

“A Valentine’s dance? Seriously, Renjun?” Donghyuck huffs, crossing his arms and beginning to pace the length of Renjun’s bedroom floor.

“Yeah, to raise funds for the school. You want air-conditioning and _actual_ funding for your precious Drama department, don’t you?” Renjun asks, Jaemin falling over into Renjun’s stack of pillows. Donghyuck just scowls at the younger, only earning more laughter.

“I also want my dignity,” Donghyuck sighs, collapsing to lie starfish-style on the carpet.

“Honey, we all know that you didn’t have any of that to begin with,” Jaemin says. Donghyuck simply flips him off.

Renjun sighs before turning back to his laptop, furiously typing away into an Excel spreadsheet. “I don’t get what the big deal is, Hyuck. You’ve been friends with Mark since you were a literal toddler,” he says, taking a sip of his iced tea.

Donghyuck scoffs. “Says you, Mr. Panicked Gay,” Donghyuck replies, hearing the satisfying sound of iced tea being spat into the air.

“Shut _up_ ,” Renjun says quietly.

“You’re evil.”

Donghyuck stares up at his ceiling fan as Renjun and Jaemin discuss decorations. He registers some of what they say, Renjun thinks that Jaemin’s _Let’s-Decorate-The-Hall-In-Streamers-And-Nothing-Else_ idea is tacky, Jaemin says that he’s more boring than one-day-old white bread. Donghyuck’s mind wanders to Mark. Mark fucking Lee. The boy who waves at him from his bedroom window that’s directly across from Donghyuck’s own every night before he goes to bed. The boy who Donghyuck stands up for whenever some kid from the footy team decides to pick on him.

The boy who Donghyuck still, after all these years of _pining_ and _pining_ , hasn’t asked out.

“Jaemin, we’re _not_ covering the floor in red sequins, it’s a safety hazard and it’ll take three years to clean up,” Renjun interrupts Donghyuck’s thoughts.

“But _Junnieee_ , it’ll be _pretty_ ,” Jaemin pouts, Renjun noticeably freezes up. A grin tugs at Donghyuck’s lips as he sits up.

Renjun sighs. “ _Fiiine_ ,” he says. “We’ll compromise.” Jaemin sits up straight and claps his hands together, flashing Renjun the biggest smile. He gets up from the bed and almost knocks Renjun out of his desk chair with a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank you, Junnie!” Jaemin says, kissing Renjun’s forehead. A deep, beetroot-red blush spreads across Renjun’s entire face. Donghyuck stifles a snicker. Renjun glares at him.

Jaemin detaches his arms from Renjun, still lingering in his lap for a moment before getting up and retrieving his backpack from next to Renjun’s neatly-organised dresser, which he slings over his shoulder.

“I should be going, I’ll see you guys tomorrow, yeah?” Jaemin says. Renjun nods slowly. Donghyuck gets up and hugs him. “And, Junnie, there _better_ be fairy bread or our friendship is cancelled,” he says as he walks out of Renjun’s bedroom, closing the door behind him. Donghyuck hears him say goodbye to Renjun’s parents and the front door slamming shut.

Donghyuck turns to Renjun. “And you call _me_ a disaster gay.” Renjun throws a cushion at him.

“Because you _are_. Have you seen yourself around Mark?”

“No, Renjun, I can’t step out of my body,” he scoffs. “Also, a school dance? We don’t even have those in Australia except for formal. And, like, primary school discos,” Donghyuck says.

“The juniors get one in term two, Hyuck. Why can’t we have one?” Renjun replies. Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “And there’s absolutely no _way_ that you’re gonna ask Mark out without a little incentive. Besides, the SRC’s been planning this since last year anyway. I, as the new SRC President, just made sure that it happened. This isn’t all my evil doing.”

“Yeah, just mostly,” Donghyuck says, going back to lying on the carpet. “I can’t believe you’re pulling this shit when we all know that you’re never gonna ask out Jaemin _or_ Jeno,” he continues. Renjun throws another cushion at him.

“I have more… important things to deal with than that. Like trying to convince Mr Sevens that we _need_ bubblers that you don’t need to make out with to get any water,” Renjun replies.

“Sure, sure.” Donghyuck sighs, rubbing his eyes. “There’s no way that Mark likes me back,” he sighs. Donghyuck can practically _hear_ Renjun’s eyeroll.

“Oh my _god_ Hyuck. You’re a fucken idiot. He’s been, like, in love with you since Grade 3. At _least_ ,” Renjun replies. Donghyuck shakes his head.

“Yeah right.”

Donghyuck checks his phone.

 _“Shit!”_ he exclaims, bolting upright and watching the sun set behind the other houses on Renjun’s street. He grabs his backpack and runs out of the room, saying goodbye to Renjun and his parents as he leaves, sprinting through the neighbourhood.

 

-

 

Donghyuck has never been the type to look where he’s walking. He’s usually on his phone, or staring at people walking around. Tonight, he stares up at the powerlines, clad with galahs and magpies.

Then he knocks into someone’s chest, almost stacking it into the bitumen. A hand takes his, pulling him back up to his feet.

Donghyuck already knows who it is.

“Woah, you okay, Hyuckie?” Mark asks, still holding Donghyuck’s hand. Donghyuck blushes at the nickname, the one that literally _everyone_ calls him.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Just distracted, ya know?” Donghyuck replies.

Mark nods. “Yeah. What’re you distracted with?” he asks. Donghyuck starts to stammer.

“O-oh, I, um, ya know, stuff. The- um, the dance,” Donghyuck says, internally slapping himself. Mark’s starry eyes widen.

“Oh, yeah, right, the dance. Renjun talked about it at assembly.”

“Yeah, he sure did. D-do you, um, have anyone you’re going with?” Donghyuck asks him.

Mark seems to go slack-jawed for a moment. “Yeah, nah, nah. Not yet, at least,” Mark replies. Donghyuck nods.

“Yeah, me neither.” The air is still and buzzy between them for a second. “Well, I better go. Mum’ll yell at me if I’m late,” Donghyuck says.

“Yeah, same. I’ll see you later?” Mark replies.

“Yeah, you will,” Donghyuck says, shooting finger guns at Mark, who just chuckles, waving before heading off to his house next to Donghyuck’s. Donghyuck facepalms as soon as he turns around to head inside.

 

-

 

Donghyuck has found that WikiHow articles are the most violently heterosexual thing he has ever laid eyes upon. He’s been scouring the internet for hours, trying to find _something, anything_ to help him that doesn’t make him want to slam his head into his laptop.

 _“Just be yourself,”_ Donghyuck reads aloud. “That’s the shittest idea.”

He buries his face in his hands, slumping forward in his desk chair and resting his elbows on the table. He sighs, typing the words into the search bar again: how to ask a boy to a school dance.

 

-

 

Donghyuck has no idea why Jisung Park is standing in front of him and blocking the pathway. He rarely interacts with the Year 11s, let alone the Year 10s, and he only knows Jisung from the school musical. Donghyuck squints at him, looking the younger boy up and down.

“What do you want, gremlin?” Donghyuck asks him.

Jisung rolls his eyes and exhales deeply. “I’m not that much younger than you, Hyuck,” he says. “And… you know how the Valentines dance is happening?” he asks.

Donghyuck sighs. “Yeah, I definitely do. Renjun’s fucken evil,” he answers.

“I’m not gonna ask. Anyway, I need help,” Jisung says. “There’s this guy in Year 11 who I wanna ask out, you might know him from musical. Chenle Zhong,” he continues. “But the problem is that I don’t know how to, ya know, do that.”

“Just ask him?”

“Mate, I can barely talk to him without stuttering and having to leave,” Jisung says. “Can you _please_ help me?” Jisung looks at Hyuck with bright eyes, somehow looking up at him despite being _significantly_ taller.

“Okay, uh, try to talk to him alone? Maybe offer to walk with him to Woolies after rehearsal and ask him like that. Or do something creative maybe? Just make it personal and if you’re nervous, then be nervous,” Donghyuck says.

Jisung nods. “Thank you so much, Hyuck! You’re a bloody legend, mate!” he exclaims before running off to class.

“No worries!” he says.

Donghyuck keeps walking, smiling and shaking his head.

Then he realises what he has to do.

 

-

 

“Yeah right, Hyuck. We all know you’re a right fucken wuss,” Jaemin says before taking a sip of Renjun’s popper. Renjun doesn’t even protest, his face goes red when Jaemin rests his head on Renjun’s shoulder. Donghyuck smirks at him. Renjun scowls at him in return.

“I may be a wuss, Jaem, but I can pretend to be a confident gay sometimes,” he says.

“Really now? Did you or did you not end your conversation with Mark yesterday with finger guns?” Renjun asks.

“Shut up.” Donghyuck sighs. “Anyway, I’m gonna ask Mark to the dance today,” he states triumphantly.

“Bet,” Jaemin says, leaning over to take a bite of Renjun’s sandwich. Renjun looks at him incredulously. “Sharing is caring.” Renjun rolls his eyes.

“I’m _gonna_ ,” Donghyuck whinges. “I don’t know why youse don’t believe me.”

“I’m not touching that one,” Renjun says. Donghyuck pouts at him.

 

-

 

Donghyuck doesn’t have a plan, not of any kind or of any substance. He wasn’t really sure what he expected Mark to do when he tapped him on the shoulder, he isn’t sure if he even expected or _wanted_ Mark to turn around.

“What’s up, Hyuckie?” Mark asks him and Donghyuck feels like his whole body is both on fire and being rocked back and forth on the worst rollercoaster in the history of rollercoasters. He asks the question to himself in his head again and again. _Hey, Mark, do you wanna go to the dance with me? Do you wanna go to the dance with me? Would you like to be my date to the Valentines dance?_

 

“I… uh…” Donghyuck says. His jaw goes slack and Mark raises his eyebrows.

He can do this. He knows he can. It’s not even _that_ many words. It’s _fine._

Donghyuck can do this.

 

“Do you wanna… um… _lend me your pen?_ ”

 

Donghyuck has to resist every urge in his body that’s telling him to smack himself between the eyes.

“You’re holding one, but sure,” Mark chuckles. “I’d love to lend you my pen.”

“Thanks, Mark. I’m truly honoured,” he half-stammers as he accepts the blue biro that has a red lid, because of _course_ it does.

Their fingers touch. Donghyuck goes even redder.

_This is so dumb._

 

-

 

“I’m an idiot,” Donghyuck exhales as he collapses in his seat next to Jeno. He knows his name is Jeno because of the badge declaring him as School Captain that he probably hasn’t taken off since he got it last week. Donghyuck and Jeno usually spend all of their Student Growth and Development classes talking, despite Jeno making speeches at their year level assemblies about how “important” that class is.

“What did you do this time, mate?” Jeno asks. “Let me guess, you hit Mr Daunt with your sharpener again?”

“Shut _up_ , Jeno. That was one time. _And_ four years ago,” Donghyuck replies. “No, instead I tried to ask… _someone_ to that _god forsaken dance_ and ended up asking him to borrow his pen.”

Jeno muffles his laughter behind his hand. Donghyuck side-eyes him.

“Could be worse though,” Jeno chuckles. “You coulda accidentally tripped your crush in Year 9 on the way to Maths and ran away so now you’re pretty sure he hates you,” he continues. Donghyuck’s eyes widen.

“Holy shit, that was you?” Donghyuck exclaims. “Jaemin told us all about it when it happened. Renjun didn’t hear the end of it for months,” he says.

Jeno just nods, his cheeks turning pink as he goes back to pretending to pay attention to what Miss Brown is talking about.

“Wait a second…” Donghyuck half-whispers. “You have a crush on Renjun?” he says.

“Keep it _down_. And yeah, I have for a while,” Jeno admits. “And on Jaemin too…”

“If you don’t ask them to the dance, I’m going to steal all of your stationery, one by one, day by day.”

The bell rings before Jeno can protest.

 

-

 

“Don’t even ask me about how it went with Mark,” Donghyuck says as he sits next to Jaemin on the bus.

“You _totally_ chickened out, huh?” Jaemin laughs, taking a sip of his water.

Donghyuck scowls. “I _just_ told you not to ask,” he seethes.

Jaemin’s face softens. “Jesus, did it go that bad?” he asks, putting an arm around Donghyuck. Donghyuck cranes his neck upwards to rest his head somewhat comfortably on Jaemin’s shoulder.

“I’m probably overreacting,” Donghyuck replies. “I really, _really_ like him, Jaem.”

Jaemin pats his head. “I know, honey.”

“Ugh,” Donghyuck says. “Anyway, how’re you goin’ with The Thing?”

Jaemin slouches in his seat, looking out the window. “Hhh. It’s… not going well,” he sighs. “It’s like no matter what I do, Renjun’s never gonna like me back.”

“Jaemin, from one idiot to another, you’re a dumbass,” Donghyuck says. “Remember when you sat in Renjun’s lap and literally _kissed him_ on the forehead yesterday?” Jaemin nods. “He was blushing, like, ridiculously hard.”

Jaemin shakes his head. “He was probably embarrassed,” Jaemin sighs. “And I’m pretty sure that Jeno hates me. He’s always staring at me and then he looks away as _soon_ as I look at him looking at me.”

Donghyuck throws himself forward and bashes his head against the empty seat in front of him.

 

-

 

Donghyuck taps his foot and chews on his nails. His eyes start to flit around his bedroom when he sees Mark through his bedroom window. The other boy slides a deep red blazer over his white dress shirt, checking himself out in the mirror. He smiles, and Donghyuck does too, before his face drops in realisation that Mark almost _definitely_ has a date.

Mark turns to look at Donghyuck, grinning at him and waving. Donghyuck slowly waves back, standing up from the end of his bed where he’s perched to go up to the window. He can see Mark better now, his black hair is as messy as it usually is at school. Donghyuck sees him actually put on Chapstick for once, _like he’s ready to…_

“Kiss someone,” Donghyuck mutters to himself.

_Shit._

Donghyuck’s phone _pings_ and he sees that Jaemin is waiting to pick him up outside. He adjusts his jacket in the mirror and waves goodbye to Mark before running downstairs. He catches Mark’s facial expression for a moment, a soft smile and even softer eyes.

 

-

 

Donghyuck’s focus shifts between Jaemin and his own hands. He sees Jeno greeting people outside the hall as they enter, and then Renjun, alone, slumped over at the ticket table. Jaemin sees them both too, he can’t keep his eyes off them. Donghyuck taps Jaemin’s shoulder and the he turns to face him.

“Go talk to ‘em, Jaem. Don’t be a fucken coward like me,” he says. “I can guarantee you that they like you just as much as you like them.”

Jaemin nods. “I’m sorry, thank you, I love you,” he says, knocking the wind out of Donghyuck with a hug before going over to talk to Renjun. The older boy noticeably perks up upon Jaemin’s arrival, as does Jeno who begins to walk closer to the other two boys.

Donghyuck smiles, swallowing his pride as he walks through the doors.

 

Donghyuck’s stomach drops.

He’d expected to at _least_ be able to ask some random guy to dance with for the night, but everyone, _literally everyone_ , that Donghyuck can see has a partner. Even Jisung hadn’t chickened out, standing near one of the food tables (with the fairy bread that Jaemin requested) leaning down to kiss Chenle’s cheek with their fingers intertwined. His face starts to feel itchy and hot, like he’s being pricked with pins over and over again with every beat of his heart. His own breathing starts to ring in his ears, almost booming. He makes eye contact with Jisung, who kisses Chenle softly, his arms around his date’s waist, before making his way over to Donghyuck.

“Thank you so so so much, Hyuck!” Jisung says over the music. “Admittedly, I _did_ buy him a choccy milk beforehand, but I don’t think he would’ve said no if I didn’t do that!”

“It’s really no problem,” Donghyuck replies, raising his voice more as the music gets even louder.

Then he sees Mark, standing against the wall, his eyes searching the room but never landing on him. His shoulders are slumped and Donghyuck can see his chest rise and fall heavily. Donghyuck’s chest hurts, he can’t take his eyes off the older boy.

“I can see you staring at Mark,” Jisung says, breaking him out of it. “You’re such an idiot, Hyuck. Mark hasn’t shut up about wanting to go to the dance with you since it became a thing that’s happening. Go ask him to dance, dumbass.”

“What if he says no-“

“Hyuck, mate, he won’t. I can promise you that,” Jisung interrupts him, pushing Donghyuck in Mark’s general direction before going back to Chenle.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he mumbles under his breath.

 

“Uh, hey,” Donghyuck says, taking a deep breath in, standing directly in front of Mark. The older boy immediately looks up, his eyes brightening and smiling instantly. His lips look so soft and plush and Donghyuck can’t stop thinking about playing with Mark’s hair.

“Hi, Hyuckie,” Mark says, his cheeks going red, but Donghyuck figures it could just be the lighting (it isn’t).

“I, um, wanted to say sorry for being so awkward the other day. I didn’t want to borrow your pen,” he says and Mark just laughs. “I actually have a really nice pen. Yours doesn’t even have the right lid,” he continues and Mark laughs even more. Mark always laughs at Donghyuck’s jokes, even when they aren’t funny. “Sorry, I’m rambling. Actually, what I wanted to ask you was if you wanted to go to this with me. But I didn’t do that. And we’re both already here. So, um, do you wanna maybe dance with me?”

Mark moves closer to Donghyuck, looking down at his shoes and then meeting Donghyuck’s eyes.

“I’d love that, Hyuckie.”

Donghyuck’s heartbeat speeds up, probably missing beats along the way and not being able to catch up with itself. He takes Mark’s hand in his and feels himself melt. His hands are soft, fitting perfectly in Donghyuck’s.

 

And so they dance together, moving closer and closer together until Mark is all that Donghyuck knows. They probably look ridiculous, Mark leaning down considerably to put his arms around Donghyuck’s shoulders, Donghyuck’s hands on Mark’s waist, tracing short lines up and down Mark’s back. Donghyuck isn’t entirely sure what they’re doing, and Mark doesn’t seem to be either. They’re quiet too, only occasionally giggling at each other. But he’s with Mark and there finally isn’t a fence and window panes separating them.

“Hey, look at Jeno, Renjun and Jaemin,” Mark says, breaking the quiet between them, gesturing behind them. Donghyuck turns to look at the three of them, Renjun sitting between the other two, all laughing together and pressing sweet, gentle kisses to each other’s lips.

“God, _finally_ ,” Donghyuck exclaims and Mark chuckles.

“Ugh, I _know_. Jeno hasn’t shut up about either of them ever since the time he barrelled Renjun over on the way to class that one time,” Mark replies.

“Renjun and Jaemin were both convinced that none of them liked each other back. They’re so infuriating.”

Mark chuckles. “To be fair, I’ve been annoying Jeno with my own pining over someone for _years_ ,” Mark says and Donghyuck feels his stomach drop again, looking away from Mark’s eyes. “He’s really cute. He’s been my neighbour for, like, my entire life. Other than the year where he wasn’t even born yet,” Mark continues and Donghyuck looks up at him, smiling softly.

“Tell me about him,” Donghyuck says and Mark turns a deep shade of red.

“Well, he’s tiny,” Mark begins and Donghyuck frowns, pouting. Mark just laughs at him. “I always see him dancing in his room at 11pm. He fell off his bed doing that last night,” he says. Donghyuck giggles softly. “I think he’s adorable though,” Mark adds, Donghyuck’s face heats up.

“I happen to like a boy too,” Donghyuck says, bringing Mark closer to him. “He’s really sweet, even though he has questionable fashion sense, at best. But I think he looks pretty tonight,” Donghyuck continues, his hand finding its way to Mark’s hair and carding through it. “He also used to have these neon green braces that he only got taken off in Year 9. They blinded me for years.”

“Shut up,” Mark laughs.

“Make me,” Donghyuck smirks.

Mark closes the small gap between them, Donghyuck’s hand moving to Mark’s cheek, meeting Mark’s lips halfway with his own. Donghyuck can taste Mark’s vanilla Chapstick and mint, his grip on mark’s waist tightening. Mark’s hand grips the front of Donghyuck’s dress shirt, bringing their bodies even closer. Their lips move together in perfect sync, his tongue slipping into Mark’s mouth, making the older tug on Donghyuck’s hair. Donghyuck can’t even hear the pulsing music anymore.

All he knows is Mark Lee, his neighbour, his friend, the boy he’s been wanting to kiss for so, so many years.


End file.
